A Pagosa Springs resident is resisting an order by her homeowners' association to remove a peace symbol-shaped wreath from an exterior wall of her home.

She was informed by letter from the Loma Linda Homeowners' Association that "Loma Linda residents are offended by the Peace Sign displayed on the front of your house."

The letter, citing a use-restriction banning "signs, billboards or advertising structures of any kind" within the subdivision without prior approval, said the wreath had to come down by Friday, or Jensen and husband, Bill Trimarco, would face a $25-per-day fine.

"The peace sign has a lot of negativity associated with it," he said. "It's also an anti-Christ sign. That's how it started."

The 1972 edition of Symbol Sourcebook: An Authoritative Guide to International Graphic Symbols, a major reference work by Henry Dreyfuss, admits to uncertainty about the source of the "crow's foot" design.

"Controversy surrounds the origin of the ubiquitous peace symbol," Dreyfuss wrote. "It was introduced by pacifist Lord Bertrand Russell during Easter of 1958, when he marched at Aldermaston, England, campaigning for nuclear disarmament."

Dreyfuss said the symbol, designed by a British commercial artist, most likely represents the convergence of the semaphore symbols for the letter

and D and the circle symbol, for total nuclear disarmament. Others claim the symbol represents an upside-down cross with broken arms and is therefore anti-Christian or Satanic.

Jensen said she put up the wreath to honor the Biblical call for peace and goodwill toward men.

She said the board had unfairly singled out the display, given that other houses regularly display Christmas lights. A former president of the board, she described the current board as "pretty vitriolic."

Kearns denied any personal vitriol. He said Jensen and Trimarco were first notified of the decision in a letter attached to an e-mail stating the board's "courtesy and respect (for) the both of you." He said the board has not fined anyone in the three years he has served as president and that the board would place itself in legal jeopardy if it treated Jensen's case differently from the other peace symbol offense.

Kearns said those he contacted for legal advice had "laughed at" the idea of allowing the display of a peace symbol.

The way you ended the comment or the story gave the impression that they(homeowners association) were doing it because of the religious symbol and that was in my opinion not entirely true. The symbol according to their interpretation depicted something else.

For those that did not click on the link and read the rest of the story, they would have been left with a different impression of what happened.

the board would place itself in legal jeopardy if it treated Jensen's case differently from the other peace symbol offense

The board apparently had taken action about other peace symbols that had been put up.

I felt more information should be given without having to go to the link. It was not meant as anything other then that. It was not meant to anger you. If it did then I apologize

The way you ended the comment or the story gave the impression that they(homeowners association) were doing it because of the religious symbol and that was in my opinion not entirely true. The symbol according to their interpretation depicted something else.

I was simply quoting parts of the story to sum it up, and quote a phrase I found interesting and that was the basis for my thread name...I didn't give my personal impression simply by quoting the story.

DarkKnight2 wrote:

For those that did not click on the link and read the rest of the story, they would have been left with a different impression of what happened.

Well, that's how life is. You don't do research, you don't get the full story. What I quoted wasn't any less relevant than your quote, though.

DarkKnight2 wrote:

I felt more information should be given without having to go to the link. It was not meant as anything other then that. It was not meant to anger you. If it did then I apologize

Alright. I disagree on that point...I think people can click on a link without it being any big deal. But whatever, not important, and not the point of the story.
Also, I wasn't argry. ..I was just wondering why you posted that quote. That's all.

Anyways, I thought it was an interesting story....It's so DUMB!

_________________"I may detest what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." -Voltaire

Exactly, I watched it on television this morning. That is why I am so against Homeowners Associations. My brother-in-law wanted to add another room to his house and he had to get it approved and then to only the specifications that the association approved.

Damn I buy a house I want to be able to hang lights or whatever up. I don't want to have to ask. Remember that couple in Fla that were told to take down the American flag.

And, despite the fact that signs, billboards, or advertisements aren't allowed, Christmas decorations are. With that, there's no reason why it shouldn't be allowed. It's part of the whole "Peace on Earth, good will toward men" part of Christmas.

_________________"I may detest what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." -Voltaire

Not disagreeing at all. Just thought more info should be given. I am right up there with you though. What are they going to do? Tell them to move? Fine them x amount of money. I would laugh at them. Then I would let my grass grow long, put some empty beer bottles on the lawn.

Exactly, I watched it on television this morning. That is why I am so against Homeowners Associations. My brother-in-law wanted to add another room to his house and he had to get it approved and then to only the specifications that the association approved.

Damn I buy a house I want to be able to hang lights or whatever up. I don't want to have to ask. Remember that couple in Fla that were told to take down the American flag.

I don't think so.

But they chose to enter into a neighborhood that had those rules. If you dont like the rules, dont move there.

_________________"To argue with a man who has renounced the use and authority of reason, is like administering medicine to the dead." -- THOMAS PAINE

The HA was going to fine the couple $25 a day until they took the peace sign down. ..That's so crazy.

When I lived with my dad in CA, we lived in a crummy neighborhood that had recently started building these overly huge, nice houses as the old ones that couldn't stand up anymore crumbled to the ground. ..Very out of place. One was directly across the street from us. We got along very well with that neighbor. I babysat his young kids, my dad and him chit chatted all the time, etc., etc.
Then, one day, my dad got a ticket in the mail, fining him $75 for having his car parked on his own lawn. Apparenly it was a local law that you're only allowed to park in your driveway or along the street, when allowed. (Despite the fact that everybody parked on their lawns...my dad got a ticket.)
He's chatting with the neighbor across the street one day about the ticket, and came to find out that the neighbor had actually called in about my dad's car in particular, that way he would be given a ticket, and move his car. Why?...because he was trying to sell his house and felt that my dad's car being parked in the grass would lower his chances, and/or selling price. The fact that he lived in a great, huge house in the crummiest neighborhood ever wouldn't hurt at all...just my dad's car.
...Needless to say, my dad never spoke to the jerk again.

Yes, a little off topic...I got sidetracked a bit thinking about fines for stupid shit.

One more quick one:
Last month I got a note from my townhouse complex management saying that they'd be doing an inspection of the outside of everyone's place. They listed all these crazy things that you're not allowed to keep outside, like charcoal grills, ashtrays, chairs (unless specific lawn chairs), garbage bags, trash, etc., etc. They said that for every item they found that was not acceptable, including random pieces of trash on the ground, they'd fine us $25 PER ITEM. ...$25 PER ITEM!!
Fucking crap.

_________________"I may detest what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." -Voltaire

Prior to purchasing a house in a housing development that has a Homeowners Association the realitor is required to give you a copy of the by laws of that association. They are also suppose to give you a set of the rules showing what you can and cannot do. Any modification to those rules have to be approved by the association after a meeting with all of the homeowners.

If those rules say you can put up a Christmas wreath, but, do not specify that the wreath must be round then the association is in error for telling them to take it down.

A bit off topic.

When I was riding a motorcylec in the military on a small post I liked to ride without a helmet. The regulation unfortunatly said you had to wear a helmet. BUT, and that is a big but it did not say where you had to wear it. I wore the helmet on my knee.

The regulation was changed and I left to go overseas. LOL Rules can be broken.